This invention relates to a part indexing apparatus and particularly to such apparatus for sequentially positioning of parts into alignment with a part interchange apparatus.
In the processing of a series of work components or broadly parts, sequential movement of the parts into a given or particular location along the path of an endless transport conveyor may be required in the overall design of a system. The transport conveyor may use a step drive mechanism. For example, a driven chain and drive means are coupled and decoupled to provide a stepped motion of the chain. The drive system may be sequentially energized and deenergized to provide corresponding positioning of the part. A typical example is disclosed in the co-pending application previously identified wherein an electrocoating system is disclosed preferably requiring automatic loading and unloading of the parts to be coated. The parts are carried in that system through a series of processing and working stations in a stepped sequence with each part held in each working station for a like period of time. During the dwell working period, a finished part is removed from the coating system and replaced with an unfinished part. The parts can be relatively heavy particularly where a part of the conveying mechanism is used to remove a finished part and to add an unfinished part.
In such cyclically operable systems, the work or parts are often manually loaded or involve automated load devices required significant personnel involvement. Where a relatively short work cycle is involved, the number of personnel required or the effort of a limited personnel has created difficulty in establishing and maintaining an efficient, low cost operation of the system.
There is therefore a demand for a system to provide automated conveyor or transport apparatus which includes temporary storage of unfinished and finished parts to be sequentially added into another cylcically operated system to permit convenient, efficient and economic handling of the unfinished and finished parts.